Welcome to Episode 14 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey
highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety
of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of
Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
This week, we had a brief discussion about Mikael’s recent trip to Vienna, Austria to participate in a
conference between Afghan leaders, American veterans, and proponents of peace in Afghanistan about
forging a united path to counteract the Taliban in Afghanistan. Ahmad Massoud, commander of the
National Resistance Front, has now formally welcomed all parties engaged in resistance against the
Taliban to unite with the NRF to repel the Taliban’s government, which is not representative of the
people of Afghanistan. Mikael discusses talking with Massoud and NRF fighters, and how Americans can
support the NRF from the U.S.
Our episode concludes with a brief note of hope from a young Afghan girl attending school in secret
despite the Taliban’s ban on education for girls above the sixth grade.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an
active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You
can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the
Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance writer who has covered post-
withdrawal Afghanistan extensively, primarily in the Washington Examiner. Follow her on
Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your
experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as
much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your
identity.
